Kate misses Royal Ascot for second year as she aims for right balance
The Princess of Wales missed Royal Ascot for the second successive year as she sought the right balance following her cancer treatment.
Kate was said to have been disappointed not to join husband William and the King and Queen at the famous sporting and social event in Berkshire.
The princess has been making a gradual return to public duties since it was announced in January she was in remission from cancer.
Her appearances have increased in recent weeks and she has attended three high-profile events including Trooping the Colour, the annual Order of the Garter service and a visit to a V&A storage facility in London.
But it is understood Kate is trying to find the right balance as she fully returns to public-facing engagements that have featured an element of flexibility since her cancer diagnosis.
Kate's mother Carole Middleton was at Royal Ascot despite her daughter missing the event, and was photographed making her way through the racegoers with her daughter-in-law Alizee Thevenet, around the time it was announced the princess would not be attending.
It is not clear when the princess took the decision not to join the royals at the races, but fans had been hoping to see Kate as William was one of the figures awarding prizes during the second day of the meeting.
She was named among the guests joining Charles and Camilla in the traditional carriage procession, but a revised list was quickly issued after Kensington Palace confirmed she would not be attending. Kate also missed Royal Ascot last summer.
The princess revealed in January she was in remission from cancer after making an emotional return to the specialist cancer institution, the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, London, where she was treated.
She had been receiving chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer since late February last year, with the King beginning his cancer care earlier that month following his diagnosis after treatment for an enlarged prostate.
Announcing in September her treatment had ended, Kate described in an emotional video message how the previous nine months had been 'incredibly tough for us as a family' and 'doing what I can to stay cancer-free is now my focus'.
William later said in a separate interview how 2024 had been 'brutal'.
The princess' measured return to royal duties was welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II's former communications secretary Ailsa Anderson.
Speaking before Kate's withdrawal from Royal Ascot, she told the latest issue of People magazine: 'She's being sensible, listening to what her body is telling her and easing back into public life.'
It is thought the princess is unlikely to make an appearance during the remaining days of the five-day racing meet – which ends on Saturday.
Among the royals at the famous race course were the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and Zara and Mike Tindall.
William was pictured enjoying a drink in an open-air section of the royal box with Zara, and he later presented the prizes in the aptly named Prince of Wales's Stakes.
Later Charles and Camilla watched from the royal box as another of their Royal Ascot hopefuls failed to win. Their horse Rainbows Edge, a favourite with the bookies, lost in the Kensington Palace Stakes.
The late Queen was a passionate owner and breeder of thoroughbreds and had more than 20 Royal Ascot winners during her 70-year reign.
Charles and Camilla have taken on her stable of horses and enjoyed their first Royal Ascot winner in 2023 when their horse Desert Hero triumph in the King George V Stakes.
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Telegraph
16 hours ago
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Princess of Wales makes public statement after pulling out of Ascot
The Princess of Wales has issued her first public statement since pulling out of Royal Ascot at the last minute. She dropped out of a planned appearance at the prestigious horse race meeting after she had been due to make a return to the spectacle on Wednesday. The Princess, 43, missed last year's event when she was undergoing cancer treatment. She was said to be disappointed to not attend the racing event alongside her husband, the Prince of Wales, but was still striving to find the right balance as she fully returns to public-facing engagements. On Friday, in her first statement since the announcement, the Princess praised the 'life-changing' work carried out by children's hospices. The mother of three marked Children's Hospice Week and the work done by hospices in 'lifting spirits' of seriously ill children. As patron of East Anglia Children's Hospices (Each) and Tŷ Hafan Children's Hospice in South Wales, she said: 'I have the immense privilege of seeing for myself the extraordinary work of our children's hospices. 'Lifting spirits through laughter, fun and play, as well as listening, holding, caring and sharing, they support children and families through life, death and beyond.' The Princess's message added: 'This Children's Hospice Week, I hope you will join me in celebrating the life-changing work they do and thanking them for the vital care they provide to children and families experiencing the most challenging times.' The message has been shared on social media channels by the two hospices she is patron of and the UK charity for seriously ill children and families, Together for Short Lives. Children's Hospice Week, from June 16-22, is organised by Together for Short Lives and is the only week dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the services across the country. The Princess has been a royal patron of each for more than 10 years and has long been a champion of the work that children's hospices do. The Princess's message, released on Friday afternoon, also read: 'No parent expects to hear that their child has a serious health condition that could shorten their life. 'Sadly, this is the reality faced by thousands of families across the country, leaving them heart-broken, fearful of the future and often desperately isolated. 'Being able to access the support of one of the UK's 54 children's hospices means they don't have to face that future alone.' The Princess has in recent years made early years campaigning work her main focus after launching Shaping Us, a major new public awareness campaign in 2023 about the importance of early childhood. Through the initiative, Catherine aims to improve society's understanding of the significance of early childhood in shaping adulthood and society as a whole.
South Wales Argus
17 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Kate praises work of children's hospices days after missing Royal Ascot
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Glasgow Times
17 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Kate praises work of children's hospices days after missing Royal Ascot
Kate paid tribute to the support provided by the 54 institutions that specialise in caring for society's youngest at the end of their lives and 'lifting spirits through laughter, fun and play'. In a surprise move on Wednesday, Kate missed Royal Ascot for the second successive year as she seeks the right balance following her treatment for cancer. The Princess of Wales visited Ty Hafan Children's Hospice near Cardiff in January (Richard Pohle/The Times/PA) Since announcing in January she is in remission, the princess has been gradually returning to public duties. Her appearances have increased in recent weeks, attending three high-profile events – Trooping the Colour, the annual Order of the Garter service, and a visit to a V&A storage facility in London. It is understood Kate is trying to find the right balance as she fully returns to public-facing engagements that have featured an element of flexibility since her cancer diagnosis. Kate's written message, posted on social media ahead of the end of Children's Hospice Week this weekend, said: 'No parent expects to hear that their child has a serious health condition that could shorten their life. 'Sadly, this is the reality faced by thousands of families across the country, leaving them heart-broken, fearful of the future and often desperately isolated.' Speaking in her role as royal patron of two children's hospices, she added: 'Being able to access the support of one of the UK's 54 children's hospices means they don't have to face that future alone. Kate helping pot plants and herbs during a visit to The Nook children's hospice in Framlingham Earl, Norfolk, in 2020 (Joe Giddens/PA) 'As patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices and Ty Hafan Children's Hospice in South Wales, I have the immense privilege of seeing for myself the extraordinary work of our children's hospices. 'Lifting spirits through laughter, fun and play, as well as listening, holding, caring and sharing, they support children and families through life, death and beyond. 'This Children's Hospice Week, I hope you will join me in celebrating the life-changing work they do and thanking them for the vital care they provide to children and families experiencing the most challenging times.' The national Children's Hospice Week is led by children's palliative care charity Together for Short Lives and the event is dedicated to raising awareness of children's hospice services. Nick Carroll, chief executive officer of Together for Short Lives, said about Kate: ''Her ongoing support for Children's Hospice Week over many years has helped to raise much-needed awareness of the life-changing work children's hospices do, every day of the year. 'Their extraordinary lifeline care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses enables families to make the most of their lives together, whether that's for years, months or only hours.'
